Proud
by noximilian
Summary: The higher they are, the harder they'll fall.
1. Keen

A growl escaped from his mouth as he was straightening. The medic was next to him. The guys should had taken him back to the base where the doc was called for fast but efficient imedicine/i. And it has been working pretty good because he was feeling absolutely wonderful ! Nothing better than a little medigun shoot to go back on the battle ! Without anymore waiting, the young man jumped on his feet, running to the base's door with a quick thanking launched above his shoulder.

The building they were in was bricks and wood only. An old factory from the thirties if you believed the old and broken sign. But at the moment, the true about this fact wasn't his first preoccupation.

With a fast pace he could keep going for long, he jumped directly in the battleground. The combat zone was an old rail loading zone and despite some trains who crossed it time to time it was totally unused. Well not anymore. Surprisingly, and hopefully for the warriors, the abandoned wagons stood against the numerous impact of explosions, bodies and gun shot, offering a pretty good protection anti sudden death. Their massive and geometric forms also were the only motionless things in the middle of this hell. Screams, of battle or of pain, gun shots, from light or heavy weapons, explosions, detonations, a whole new and noisy life for a place who stood deserted for so long.

But the scout wasn't really taking care of all that. It was his daily life for few time now and he learned how to live with. Tall, slim, with a bad habit of saying aloud what was on his mind, the scout was despite everything the one helping the missions to be accomplished. Speed and precision. Those were the only important things.

With a jump, he went threw the space between two wagons, shooting few bursts of lead just for fun and without hitting anyone. With another, he dodged a very close rocket. Where did this darn briefcase went ?

He didn't had time, or even the possibility, to stop someone to just ask for it. Beside, the diplomatic talks were not his first quality. He sprinted threw the whole place, jumping above the rails still active who were dividing the zone in two. He stopped next to a wagon of which the metal still conserved the grey-blue color compared to the ones on the other side where the rust ate every single part of metal. In the corner of his eye, he saw Heavy coming, his loyal i Natasha/i already rolling in its axis ready to fire. Right behind him walking in his footprints the medic took back his usual place. A perfect diversion.

A soldier from the other camp jumped from the angle of his hiding spot without seeing him. A large smile stretched the scout's lips. This was so beautiful...

"Hey Dummy !"

The other one didn't had the time to turn around. A lead burst rammed his back, making the soldier fall with a pain scream covering briefly the young man's laugh. Still laughing, the scout charged directly to the blue team base.

Curiously, the blue's building weren't really different from their own. Only the materials were changing. Oh well, he would not complain about it 'cause this was making the things even more easy. Without needed to search for a long time, the young man crossed the corridor leading to the central room of the factory, the one used to protect the objective. As he was ready to jump in his instinct made him do it reversely, protecting himself with the wall. A bullet gust marked the ground at the place where he would have been standing. The young man bit his low lips to keep a cuss. Nice done, as always. He turned around, crossing the corridor again on the other direction while searching for the best way to catch the objective but he bumped against someone incoming as he was jumping out. The two made a step behind, weapons up ready to shoot. A mix between relief and frustration made the scout pushed an annoyed sigh.

"Damn it Spy ! You scared me ! The hell is in your mind to loom like that !"

In front of him was standing a man in suit. Slightly taller than him, with an impeccable poise, his tailored clothes were perfectly fitting his light but existing musculature. His face was masked for the most part of it by a mask, except his eyes and his the low part. His lips, by the way, were stretched in a little amused smile.

"I wasn't expecting you to be here...", he said with a calm voice with a very tiny pitch of french accent.

The scout shrugged.

"Eh, what do you want, that's my job. Beside, if you could do some cleaning that could be useful" added the young designating the room with a head move.

The spy raised his eyebrows while looking above the scout's shoulder. He nodded. Without loosing anything of his smile, he move his left sleeve to push a button on his watch. With the time of a blink he was simply not here anymore.

The scout pressed himself on the wall to let some space for him, keeping this position with his weapon in hand, ready to shoot as to run.

The waiting was short. Hopefully 'cause the young man was already trampling at his place feeling a horrible itch and urge to run.

"You can go"

The voice came from next to the door without anyone in sight.

"Finally ! I've been almost waiting" launched the young one while running threw the entrance.

The room was big enough to contain approximately fifty cares. It was made in three floors which were communicating with metallic stairs. A real factory to put it simply. Beside the fact that the whole mechanical furniture has been folded up, cleaned away or scrapped. The only thing remaining was a gigantic propellant, probably intended for a rocket or something big enough to blow the whole United-States. Anyways, he wasn't here to judge the decoration.

The scout climbed the stairs to get on the platform under the reactor. The intelligence was really here. It was a blue mallet with a white line who was cutting it in the middle. With a smile, the young man seized it.

"Hello again sweetheart. I hope I didn't let you wait to much" he commented while grabbing the handle.

Without further ado, he jumped above the stairs and crossed the corridor with a large smile on his face. He spayed out on the battle ground like a rocket. A bullet fly close to him, almost piercing his chest but he didn't care about it. The only thing important was the speed. He overshoot someone of his own team, dodging him with a jump on the right but as he was getting both his feet on the ground something bounced just next to him to explode at the level of his face. He had just the time to throw himself at the shelter of the wagons. A demoman right in his pathway. A crap.

"Yo a little help here?"

He just finished his sentence when another explosion, really close, made tremble the ground.

"Ah Geez. I'm dyin' here !" he screamed in his communicator.

But the master of explosions cropped from behind the wagon, his only eye shiny and a big smile stretching his lips.

"I'de say you ain't seen dis one little guy ! Ah ah !"

The scout's legs moved by themselves. He veered on the right, dodging another grenade who exploded right behind him and then, using the blow of it, the young man jumped above his enemy, without forgetting to crunch his face of course.

"Is that all you've got moron ?"

A sound caught his attention as he was landing again. A sonorous signal, one of the rare and only thing still functional in this old industrial zone. A train was coming. What a luck ! The young man raced straight to the central tunnel. After this point he would have nothing more than few meters to cross the space to the base and end the mission. He rushed inside the tunnel, taking momentum to jump above the metal rails. A move at his right made him turned his head. Nothing. When he concentrated his attention forward another figure was standing in the opening. The light created by the little flame on the weapon were reflecting on the black glass of the mask. The boy didn't even had the time to be scared. By reflex he raised his arms to protect himself but instead were throw back by a gasblast, directly in the arms of someone. He opened his eyes discovering smiling face of the spy. The young man stood up and open his mouth to thank his colleague but his voiced struggle in his throat.

The blade sinked in his back with a simple but swift move. He felt his grab on the handle of the intelligence slowly loose, replaced by another one. As he was slipping down the floor he gritted his teeth. No way he would get knocked out that easy. He get his gun and move to target the spy. With a little kick, he made the scout fall down on the rail. One last word came to his mind before everything went blurred.

"iAmateur/i"

He tried to get up but noticed that the metal of the rails were different from the other. It was shaking with small vibrations as if it was alive. His eyes opened up wide when he slowly perceived that the sonorous signal was literally screaming at his ears.

Strangely, he wanted to watch. Why ? No idea. Hi blood was pulsing at his temple and he had the feeling his heart would literally break his ribs. He pushed on his tired legs to get up. There was a high whistle. He was almost on his feet. He just had to make one step. Juste one. He turned his head on his right.

"A crap..."

Suddenly there were screams. The train was right in front of him. His mind was blank, erased from any elementary survival reflex. He thought the train was really big and that it would be done quickly. Well at least he was hoping for. But all of a sudden, his sigh changed. The big shape of the train disappeared from his vision to give its place to the ground. He wasn't able to move or to understand a lot of sounds were muffled, the universe around him were blurred and he wasn't feeling a lot of things.

And then the shadow turned to light. The ground was streaming somewhere really far down him. It was like being on the back of a horse without being able to control anything. Well, at least that was how he was imagining the thing because he never tried to ride a horse. The light turned shadow again after a moment. How many time ? That was an excellent question. His sight became fix too on something flat, immobile and clear colored.

There was a sound on his right, which was more like a continuous humming. Wait a minute... He was able to hear it properly ? And now that he was paying attention, his vision was starting to be better too and the mix of tiredness and pain was almost totally gone. He turned his head to locate himself. He was back in the base apparently, more precisely in the preparing zone where weapons and material were stored. The medic was once again next to him but this time Heavy was here too one step behind. And he was observing the door with a worried face. With a hiss the scout sat on the bench with a forced smile.

"Thanks Doc."

The youg man clear his throat before starting to cough. His head was ringing like church's bells on a wedding day. With a groan he managed to sit on the side of the bench, holding his head in his hands. Worse than a hangover. The humming of the medigun stopped as the doctor put a knee down to check him. He forced the young boy to raise the head, making his vertebrae crack.

"You've been really lucky that we were on your way." said the doctor with a german accent which seems stronger than usually to the scout.

This remark made the boy laugh. Well that was the first idea because what came out of his mouth was more like the croaking of a ill frog.

"That would have do a nice puzzle for your long night" he commented.

The medic had a strange smile, curious mix between relief and real amusement with maybe a little tip of sadism. He stopped his check up when the base's door opened.

Entered the i chief/i of their little mercenary group. The soldier, junkie of shooting, rocket powder and bloody fights, appeared in all his anger. His face, or at least what was able to be seen, was almost as red as his uniform or the blood on it. With firm and quick steps he went directly to them, stopping right in front on the scout still on the bench.

"Are you in a big fat hurry to die son ?! My bullet are faster ! And I won't tolerate any failure in my team ! Did I made me clear ?"

"What the heck is wrong with you ! What d'you think ? That I choose to get shooted down each time I pass the door ?!" the boy answer jumping on his feet.

He was taller than the soldier of one head but the other one was still the most impressive.

"You have weapons don't you ? Use them ! You kids today don't know how to dominate !"continued the man, throwing a shove in the scout's shoulder.

The brutality of it almost push him back on the bench again but he had no intention of loosing the speaking competition.

"You guys just have to do some cleaning ! I almost get exploded with grenades and that's the second time a pyro jump on me ! It's a real cutthroat area there Damn it!"

"Listen up boy," added the soldier pointing a finger on the young man chest. "We're not supposed to be constantly on your back to say where to go ! If you want to have someone to open the way for you ask the spy !"

"Oh yeah ? First we have to be sure he won't backstab us after throwing us in the jaws of a fucking pyro !"

The sound of someone clearing his throat stopped temporally the quarrel. All turned toward the entrance were a man with a strict pose was standing to detail them from far, a cigaret in a hand and the other one in his pocket.

"Didn't it come to your mind that I wasn't the only spy ?"

The masked man took a long breath of his cigaret and made few steps toward them. His shape, even light, was forcing a respect tinted with a certain apprehension. After all, this guy could disappear in less than a second to appear right behind you and make you pass the other side's frontier with a single move. The scout clinched his fists when the other stopped two step far from the group.

"If you have been there in time, Maybe I would not had to wait for someone else to clear the way" hissed the young man with a bad look.

The spy took another breath before putting his grey eyes on the team's cadet. A neutral look but with plenty of meaning possible.

"I'm enough paid and qualified to know what to do when I have to", he answered. "The others mistakes aren't mine and it's the job of everyone to prove that he's worthing his price."

He throw his cigaret on the floor and step on it.

"By the way... I wonder what is the amount of your pay..."

Without a warning, or even really realising it, the scout jumped, pushing the soldier away from his path to run straight to the spy and cut the space with the pickaxe he took from the soldier's belt. But he touched nothing but air. With an enrage scream the young man started chopping randomly, screaming insults hoping to touch the invisible spy who couldn't be very far. His violent dance stopped when two gigantic arms caught him to raise him up from the ground. The scout was moving like a mad to try to set himself free. Without result, which made exploded his anger.

"HEAVY ! PUT ME DOWN GOD DAMN IT ! LET ME GO ! I WILL POLISH OFF THIS FUCKING SON OF A..."

"I think not."

A click from nowhere stopped the sentence. No one moved for few instants, awaiting, but fortunately nothing happened.

"Ok ladies, let's man up a little, ok ? We already have enough men to shoot outside without starting to do the same on each other, don't you all think ?"

Heavy nodded and put the scout on the floor. The young man continue to search for the spy until the soldier came in front of him, forcing the young man to focus on him. The war man took back his weapon and designated the base's door.

"Move up"

The giant man ran directly to the battleground without a word, the medic on his feet. The scout turn back to do as well but...

"Never send a boy to fight a man war."

The scout had a downtime before understanding those words were for him. He put his eyes on the soldier who was still watching him. The anger on the fighter's face was not here anymore but the firmness in his voice was not possible to go against. The young man had a little laugh but his smile erased little by little.

"Wait wait, It's a joke right ? What the hell is that crap ? What do I do if I can't go on the field ?"

The soldier showed him with a head move the locker where the weapons were stored.

"Defend the briefcase. You have things for right here. If I see you outside I'm sending you home pronto, understand ?"

The boy feel his breath cut. He stood frozen while the soldier marched toward the door.

"Y...YO YOU'L ALL NEED ME TO GET THAT FRICKIN OBJECTIVE !" launch the scout in a last try.

He received no answer. The door close behind the soldier, letting the young alone in the base. He could just not believe this. He has been put on the sideline...Like that...without available reason ! It was him who almost died twice, wasn't it ?! Twice in a row by a pyro and almost been jagged by a train and he was the one getting the blame ?! Was it even his own fault to start with damn it ?!

A yell of anger raised in his throat but he forced himself to keep silent. There would not be anyone to hear it anyways...Not keen enough...At this simple idea he felt the envy to laugh but didn't managed to do it. His body trembled, shaken by little spasms, but not a single sound came out from his lips.

With mechanical move, he went to the locker to get back his basic material. Dispersion rifle, gun and his baseball batt. The contact with its wood made him smile. Keeping the same stepping he quitted the preparation area, stoping in front of the door to look at it. He clinched his fists but turned away. The young man crossed the corridor to their own intelligence, obliged to follow the orders.

They try to get the objective then. They'll see it was not as easy as it first sound.


	2. Proof

The ball was bouncing on the wall and floor, always at the same rhythm, marking the regular and flat song of boredom. At least he had that !

As soon as the scout took his designated place he immediately felt himself gnawed by dullness. As the strongest moment of his anger, he started to walk in circle around the objective as to dig a furrow in the metal. Then as time and bad mood was decreasing he eventually sat on the metal steps, moving his leg by a nervous twitch caused by the over-power in his body. The silence in the room was twice worst than the din of the battlefield, making him deaf. Feeling another need of move, he stood up to go back in the preparation room and have a look at his stuffs to find something to do. The sound of the door made him jumped and he immediately ran back in the intelligence room, his baseball ball in hand. Once back, he started launching it in the air while listening the vocals exchanges of his teammates he was receiving on his own headphone.

But he cut it quickly. It was so dumb to imagine something few meters away ! Especially to regret it so much.

And now he was there, sprawling against the circular wall, making his bounce without end his ball. Which suddenly stopped half way, floating in the air. With a frown, the young man raised, staring at it with a dazes face.

"That is a strange way to defend boy."

The scout sighed with anger.

"Geez what do you want again from me Spy ! Isn't it already enough that I've been stuck in here for hours without you coming to make fun ?!"

The masked man became visible again, the ball in his palm while adjusting his tie with the other one.

"It just been fifteen minutes that you have changed affectation. And I'm not really involved in your actual situation" he answered, throwing back the ball to the young man.

"No kidding ? And who almost perforate my head with a bullet?!" continued immediately the scout with a dark look.

"Nothing personal. I just had to shut you up" said the spy while taking a cigarette from his case. "But beside that, I think some calm could be useful for a hothead like you."

Le boy clinched his fists, tighten his grab on his ball until thrusting his nails in it. He had a sudden desire to throw it at the man's face jst in front of him.

" 'Cause watching a fucking suitcase is useful ?! What do you think ?! That it will go away on its little feet ?! The heck ! You might be paid to do fucking nothing scumbag but me I'm here to run ! Not to sleep ! Easy ! Grass grows, Birds fly, Sun shines, and brother, b**I HURT PEOPLE** /b! That's the only think useful ! Running and fighting ! b**THAT'S**/b what I'm here for !"

"What are you waiting for then ?"

The question asked on a casual tone, cut straight the young angry man. He fixed the spy for few seconds as if the man had just confessed something terrible. The masked man was stoical, watching without really seeing the empty room. The scout shook his head with a pout.

"What the heck is your problem ? You were there, isn't it ? If I put one single centimeter of my body outside I'm roasted in both meaning and I'd prefer to avoid that."

There was a silence then the shadow man spoke again without moving any bits from his position, smoking quietly.

"Why are you here for after all ?"

The scout frowned but as he wasn't answering the spy continued.

"Glory ? The soldiers names are only knew when they are killed by a disloyal way. Money ? It's true this job is well paid but certainly not to have a palace life when it's over. Personal experiment ? There are a lot of others for a young man like you which are not or less involving much risks. So what ? "

Once again, the question stood in the air. The boy put his eyes down, searching for something to say without finding anything. At the end, he made a step to be at the same level of his colleague, keeping him in the corner of his eyes.

"Nothing interesting...And you ? What pushed you in this big mess ?"

A swift tension on the spy's lips created a fugitive rictus almost imperceptible but the man didn't answered either. The scout stood still for few seconds then sighed again.

"Bha, we all have our owns reasons" he commented pushing his hands in his pockets.

"Of course."

The silence fell in place again. But not for long. The spy had a small head move, as if someone just pushed the switch to turn him on.

"Down"

The young fighter didn't had the time to see him disappear. His ear caught the mechanic rolling of a mini-gun. He jumped above the guard-rail to hide behind the glass wall, covering a part of the platform. Bullets almost immediately started to tear the air appart until their road stopped in violent impacts approximately everywhere. And above those mortuary whistles was raising the big voice of a Heavy who was singing the funeral march, almost covering the rolling message of death. The young man gritted his teeth as he heard the footsteps on the metal steps one time than another before going away. The boy felt again a sudden urge of screaming in anger. He checked his weapons, took his dispersion rifle and get ready to try an escape. An agony cry made him jump and pressed the trigger, wasting a lead burst. With a curse he took a look outside his shelter and discovered the spy above an enemy sniper corpse.

"I think we have something to take back" commented the man as we was slipping his knife in his jacket.

A large smile stretched the scout's lips as he was crossing the base, weapon in hand. But as he was almost at the exit a firm hand stopped him net.

"Running toward an Heavy is the best way to get kill stupidly. Comme with me."

Without any explanation, the man in suit went on the left. The scout almost yelled at him first but followed him. They stopped in front of a circular hatch which the scout couldn't remember about. But he didn't had to ask for the answer of his silent interrogation.

"It conduct in the cooling canal right in front of the building. If you can play with them a little I will make a bit of cleaning"

The boy blinked then laughed.

"Getting on people nerves is my speciality !"

With a battle scream he jumped in the hatch which opened before he could even touch it.

The water wasn't really hot without being unpleasant. The scout followed the tube to the actual canal and as he was reaching it an explosion blazed the space out of water a his right. The sounds were muffed but he could recognized the regular rolling of the mini-gun. Going in the base was harder than going out for everybody apparently. The scout join the surface just enough to see what was going on without being seen. The enemmy Heavy was just in front of the bridge who was crossing the canal, firing the space in front of him to clear a way in the defense line who closed behind him. But even if the bullets were touching him his wounds were immediately cured thanks to the medic hidden behind the large stature of the war man. It was also this guy who was holding the briefcase while handling his medigun which was humming louder and louder. The other guys of the team hadn't the same cleared sight so all was on the shoulders of the scout. As he was ready to jump on the medic a slight blu flicker hold him back. The Blu spy...This bastard was right behind the medic to cover him.

The boy dived again to go under the other bridge. He took a deep breath and corssed fingers to have enough time. He took back his ball in his pocket and jumped on the brigde.

"Play ball! " He screamed, throwing his ball.

It charged straight between the spy's and medic's heads, catching their attention. They turned their eyes to the opposite bridge but there was nothing. Nothing but a splash on the water's surface. The spy had a little laugh and made a sign to his colleagues for them to continue. Then he slipped in the water too, pushing a little hiss. This little snot did had some chances last time...

The shadow man scoured the canal with his eyes without finding anything. He frowned before an hard impact on the bridge obliged him to go back at the surface. As he was catching the edge to get out of the canal he felt eyes in eyes with the kid, who had a big smile on his face.

"Yo, what's up?"

the spy tried to get back but didn't had the time to dodge the batt hit who caught him right between the eyes. The masked man felt in the canal without a sound as the scout was getting up proudly.

"Way to go pally !" he launched with a look to their own team's spy.

Well where he was not so long before. The boy searched for him to localized him but he shrugged. It was always the same deal with those guys anyway. He stooped to get back their suitcase but a voice made him jump, almost making him fall in the water again.

"Did you finished him ? "

The scout raised up, intelligence in hand.

"With the hit he received he might be on his way to become a beautiful aquarium decoration."answered the boy with a head sign toward the canal.

Without anymore comment, he passed his colleague to join the security of their base. The spy appeared right in front of him, cutting his way. His face wasn't expressing any feelings but was still announcing a sort of threat.

"Did you saw him dead?" he asked again, more insisting.

"He might be. I have to admit I ain't took the time to go on a bath again. We had the intelligence, right ? That's all important !"

"What is important is the duration of our lives" continued the masked man clinching his fists.

"Hey relax ! All we have to do his get our backs on walls to avoid backstab and open our eyes ! He will be obliged to pass in front of us if he wants to try anything anyway !"

The spy pleated his eyes and disappeared again. With another shrug, the young man went back in the central room to put the briefcase back at the place it would never had left, then he sat again on the steps.

By instinct, the scout push on the tunnel's wall to throw himself out of the water and go back in fresh air but his move get stopped. He felt a painful line in his leg, which made him scream underwater and let the liquid fill his mouth. With a hips flick, he managed to turn around to find himself face to face with the enemy spy who appeared through a red cloud. And judging by his smile, he was in mood to play... The knife passed again, way to close to his face and really fast even with the water inertia. The scout went back as good as he could, pressing himself against the concrete wall to take a push and throw himself forward. He bumped into his opponent's chest, making him swallowed a good amount of water too.

The rules had changed. Now it was the one who would hold it longer. The young man blocked the wrist holding the knife, trying to push the spy against the wall. His heart started to punch painfully in his ribcage as his lungs started to burn. But turning back and try to get to the exit was not something allowed for whom desire to stay alive, especially with a spy. He clenched his teeth and throw a knee to the crotch of his opponent but the spy folded up his legs to protect himself. In answer to this try, he grabbed and tighten suddenly his grip on the young man's head, making him loose his force. The scout's vision became dark with few sparkles for a very short moment but turned back to normal just in time to dodge the knife blade pointed at his throat. Another large cut open on his arms but this time he forced himself to keep his scream inside his throat.

Instead, he slipped behind the spy's back and caught his own throat with his elbow, tightening as much as he could. As planned, the other one open his mouth instinctively, swallowing water again and again without being able to stop. Then, in a despair, the spy started to throw his elbows in the scout's ribs, making the two of them hit the wall or even started to use his knife to cut everything he could reach. The water tinted with red but the young man used his own pain to reinforce the vice. Eventually, the hits started to go slower and weaker until they finally stopped for good.

The scout's lungs were nothing but a real furnace and his whole body a moving plague. Never he would managed to reach the canal or even if he could, drag himself out of it to the base. So he turned back to the hatch and started to bang on it to make it open, fighting against his own tiredness and his aquatic environment. He felt his sinews grow lower at each hit and his sight started to fade black again. Having no other choice, he forced himself to turn back to make a try with the canal.

The light came out of nowhere above him and without realizing it a hard grab drew him out of water.

The young man crashed on the ground, coughing and aspiring with true happiness the missed air for more or less five minutes. Above him was the spy of his team, still with his neutral and cold facial expression.

"'B...bastard...", articulate the young still searching for his breath. "Couldn't you do something before?!" he tried to screamed with a furious look on his colleague.

But his throat didn't permit it without making him cough again for a long moment. The spy didn't had any reaction, making the scout's anger grew again and making move his tired and wounded muscles.

"That would have pleased you if I had died in here isn't it ?!" he yelled, catching brutally the masked man's collar. "That's not you're problem if we all died 'cause you'll still be paid after all ! You fucking shitass ! I bet if they could proposed you a better amount of money you would be on the other side ! b**Isn't i**t/b?!

The spy didn't said nothing, still observing the boy. A light appeared briefly in his grey eyes before he pushed down the scout who let his body fall on the ground again with a suffering moan.

"I wasn't the one with the best place to kill this man" he explain simply, putting his suit back to place. "And by the way, as I didn't had any confirmation about the identity, it would have been easy for me to shoot down both of you but I thought it was better to give you a chance."

''No kidding ? You're a kind heart for sure...''spitted the boy, helping himself up with the brick wall.

''It would more be called reason''

''And how do you know that I'm not the freaking foe who just killed the stupidass ?''

The masked man smiled.

''You don't know how to use a knife. Don't try to say you do because I saw you tried. And with what I can see you weren't the one with it in hand. I also think you should go cure those wounds already. Those take long to heal completly.

The scout pouted but turned to make his way to the preparation area. But as he was doing his first step, his injured body abandoned him, letting the boy tumble down with a scream. The spy helped him limp to the area without caring about the groaning scout. Once they arrived, the masked man made him sit and gave him bandages to cure his injuries.

''Oi, I know how to take care of myself ya know ? No need to play my nanny ! Especially atfer what happened.'' growled the young man, almost tearing the clothes from the spy's hands.

This reaction created a little smile on the spy's lips who let the scout do his own healing. He turned around to go back in the innards of the base but had a small stop just before disappearing.

''By the way, winning against a spy while under water is a rare experiment, as the ones who can get away from it alive. So I think we can say you did quite good imon garçon/i''

The scout raised his eye to look at the spy who was already going away as if nothing happened.

The young man blinked few times then bursted in laugh.

''Of course I did ! What do you think ?'' he shouted. ''I'm a freaking force of nature !''

In the corridors, the spy took another cigarette he put between his lips, stretched in a smile he couldn't prevent.


	3. Act

"Now that's what I'm talkin' about !" launched the boy looking at the bandages.

He was actually happy with what he managed to do with them without making himself looking like a mummy or some halloween disguise. Well at least that's should be good until the medic was back to stitched up for good.

The boy exited the armory to go back into the intelligence room as empty as always. He stopped to look around him but didn't noticed any trace of the spy. He shrugged then went back to the capture area but as he was climbing the few metal steps he felt his body turned ice cold in a blink. His mouth fall open as he jumped next to the center. The intelligence ?! Where the hell...

Footsteps made him jumped and without thinking he bounded down the platform while insulting the spy. This freaking guy ! He was the one giving lessons but he wasn't even pretending to do anything ! The scout arrived at the end of the circular corridor just to perceive the base's dorr close on a brief blu reflect.

"Oh no you freaking don't you stupid bluballs !" he hissed.

He jumped outside but a sudden memory made him throw himself back inside as a airblast shot. The order of their soldier came back to his mind. He couldn't help but push a frustrated cry, walking in circle in front of the door. If he stood inside he was screwed 'cause he wasn't next to the intel. If he was actually running out to get it back and spotted he was also screwed 'cause he didn't followed orders. The young man abruptly stopped, taping nervously on the floor. A new insult passed his lips as he threw himself on the right. He barely took a deep breath before he jumped into the hatch enter the water again.

Hell he would not need any bath for a week after this day.

Despite his wounds he crossed the tunnel and jumped out of the canal pretty quick and as soon as his feet touched the ground he started to run. The major points were simple. Get back this stupid briefcase, not staying at the same place to avoid being spotted, go back to the base and most importantly punch the stupid frog-eater !

He heard someone call him somewhere on his side, which made his legs go even faster. The adrenaline was already pumping fast in his entire body. The explosions, grenades, shooting and rockets plus the screams and the fact that he was not supposed to be here. All of this was making his heart jump in a mix of excitation and fear and his body was going faster and faster. His mind was only focus on the knuckle head who was trying to made him fired.

As he was jumping out of the the train tunnel, he caught again the same blu back passing between the abandoned wagon. Crap ! He had almost reached the base !

He tried to accelerate again but something spray out of nowhere as he was passing the wagons himself. He turned to knock out the enemy but a solid grip captured his shoulders to push him back. Straight into the Blu base's canal.

The other scout was holding him way to firmly for his shape. The young Red started to fight back, his legs moving fast to put his head out of the water as he was trying to get out of his counterpart's grip but he had a blank moment when their irises crossed each others'. The blu had metal grey severe eyes as no one of his age would have. Their head bursted the surface but the red didn't had the time to said anything because of a hand on his mouth. Someone passed on the bridge over their head, making both of the youngs look up anxious. Heavy steps, a mini-gun rotation and a big laugh made the red frowned. When he put back his eyes on his blu reflect, they exchanged another look for a second then they grey eyes moved toward the tunnel down in the water. The red runner didn't had the time to nod before being pushed back into the water without other choice but swim into the canal. As he was making his way through he realized he just hanged himself up. First, the intelligence was gone, two he was out even if he wasn't supposed to and now he was swimming in the blu base's canal because a scout with strange eyes told him to, after not killing him... This mission was definitely his last one but...If the intel wasn't yet delivered maybe he could take it back once again ?

The hatch was open and he could see the roof of the blu base. Something grey, probably concrete. The young man grabbed the rim and pulled himself up just enough to see if there was someone. Again he crossed the two metallic irises. The surprised almost made him fall down in the water but the blu caught him by the back of his shirt to forced him out. The runner didn't had the time to get up by himself because of the grip on his wet uniform who was guiding him quickly toward a staircase. They just had the time to disappeared on the upper floor before another group of blu ran out with screams. The Red scout jumped forward, throwing a look above his shoulder to be sure they haven't been spotted. The sound of someone clearing his throat focussed the young's attention. They were at a floor with large and numerous windows from where they had a view on approximately the integrity of the battle field. Something perfect for a sniper but strangely there was none to be seen. The scout made a step forward, searching for his "guide" but a voice behind him made him jump.

"Your time of reaction isn't bad."

The boy threw his fist behind him but was stopped straight by the same solid grip who pushed him and hold him in the water. The red spy was once again smiling at him.

"What the heck is your freaking problem spy ?!" growled the scout, trying not to sound too loud. "Where were you with the intel ! Thanks to your wonderful job they've got it ! And we're here in the Blu base and I'm not even supposed to be and..and..."

"There is no problem with the intelligence." answered the masked man with his habitual relaxed ton.

The scout wanted nothing more than push him.

"I know what I saw fancy pants ! "

The spy turned his head as he heard something, making the scout stopped even if he wasn't half done. They stood still for few seconds then the shadow man looked at his cadet from head to foot, making the boy even more angry. He opened his mouth but was cut by the spy.

"You wanted to prove you're worth the price you're paid by crossing the battlefield." the older man said, reaching for his disguise kit. "That you are better now than what you were before. That you could finally be _proud _of what you are doing, isn't it ?"

A smoke cloud enveloped the masked man and soon a blu medic was standing at his own place. Only his eyes, still metal grey, could tell the truth. And at the moment they were focused on the scout.

The boy frowned.

"Theirs is a coward. He's just staying inside, hiding and waiting for the others to come to him." explained the false Blu with a shrug.

Still the scout stood silent for a moment, not sure what to say. He scratched the back of his head before finally opening his mouth.

"Eh...you..D...Dis is not one of your stupid joke ? I mean I don't know you're just...so random !"

A new smile stretched the medic's lips.

"I can still go take this briefcase by myself if you prefer to go back in the base for..."

"Wha !? No! "

"Well, Let us move "

Without further ado, the medic pointed another to the scout and started to run down. The boy stood still, mouth open. What the actually fuck was he doing ? Beside obeying blindly to spy ? And talking about him what the heck was this dude's problem ?! The runner sighed heavily. His eyes turned to the battlefield and his own base at the exact opposite. He slapped himself mentally and passed the door his colleague showed him. He jumped above a gap in the floor and founded himself on the blu's Intel room. A large window was open on the room strangely similar to their own, except for few details. The sentry was still here, with it's owner tilted on something else. The boy cursed but suddenly there was screams and cries. Down there the scout saw the medic run in total panic, jumping above the metal steps to go hide right behind the dispenser, attiring the blu engi's attention. For a second he was not sure if it was the real one or not but then started the show. He saw the engineer looked the entrance, while the medic slide behind him. He caught the smaller man, holding his arm behind his back and his throat tight. The engineer tried to free himself but the spy swiftly flipped his knife and the man felt on the ground in silence. The sentry finally detected the enemy's presence and shoot but the spy was already gone. Few seconds later the sentry exploded . All of this happened in not even a full minute. It was kinda terrifying to see how easy you could die with a guy like this masked assassin. The scout blinked few times, coming back to earth and took the corridor on his left. He jumped down the floor, his ankles cracking in discontent but he didn't paid attention to them. When he arrived near his coworker, he saw him dragging the blu next to his dispenser.

" Wha...uhn what's the among of your pay again ?" asked the young man a little anxious.

The spy had a smile but didn't answered. Instead he stood up and pointed the briefcase with a nod.

"Let's not loose more time"

The scout put his eyes away from the blu's body and nodded. As soon as his grip tighten around the intelligence handle he jumped down and started to run without a look behind him. He was here for a reason and tit was too late to go back so now he had to focus on his principal objective, forget about how easily the spy could kill people and how hard the way back would he was building back his concentration, a sudden shock broke his trains of thought. He raised his head to discover the enemy heavy. The two of them stood frozen for the few seconds of realization.

"Oh...What's up ?"

His body moved by itself. He ran back into the intel room as bullets were already sinking in the wall in front of which he was standing just before. The boy ran his way up, his heart pumping in adrenaline and fear. Seriously...Why ? Why always him ?!

Without anymore waiting, he turned back and ran in the intel room as bullets were already plunging into the wall he was in front of. He had a very short look on the side as he was jumping up the stairs but didn't saw any trace of the spy. Oh never mind this dude ! He was good enough by himself !

He reached the floor, jumped above the gap to find himself back in the sniper zone. I which another bullets gust welcomed him. He had just the time to push back, using the height of the briefcase to throw himself backward. In the time of a blink, a Blu scout appeared out of nowhere right in front of him. The two boys looked at each others before the Red moved again. Without even thinking of the stupidity of this act, he jumped behind directly in the gap, falling straight to on the ground floor with a pain sharp from his legs. They abandoned him, making him fall on his back as a turtle, exchanging a look with the Blu scout up in the third floor. A smile stretched the Red's lips. He jump back on his feet with a hiss and wave t his homologue before starting to run again. His ankles were absolutely painful but he had to keep going. It was too late now and he was too far.

As he was arriving to the Blu base's door, he crocheted the wall to change his direction without loosing momentum and jumped once again right in the hatch, intelligence first to help him go down faster.

His heart was pulsing painfully in his chest as adrenaline was running into his entire body. Once in the canal, he went under one of the bridge to catch his breath. Man he was exhausted and he was not even half way home. He heard a pyro up on the bridge, apparently disappointed. The Red smiled. A hand pressed on his shoulder, making him gasp and turned, the intelligence behind him to avoid any try of stealing. The Blu scout was in the water with him once again.

"What the heck are you waiting for ?!" yelled the Blu. "RUN!"

"...Spy..? "

The Blu almost immediately targeted him with his gun, awaking the survival instinct of the Red react. He jumped out of the water, ignoring the tiredness and pain of his body, the height of his package and most importantly : the fact that he was **not **supposed to be here in open air. The railway were getting closer. Once he reached them he would be safe and his mission would be completed. He would not be fired and even if the soldier try to yell at him, he could say it was spy's fault. Talking about that where the heck...

A high pitched whistle crossed the mist of sound and thoughts surrounding the young man. He felt his legs slacken as he was getting closer of the tunnel. Last time he almost freaking died in this stupid thing ! No way he was going under it ! He orientate himself to go around but a cry made his heart jumped. The soldier stopped behind a wagon to look at him, his rocket launcher farcing the ground. A new sensation started to pulse into the runner's chest, giving a new force to his body. Anger ? Or perhaps fear after disobeying a direct order and being caught.

"Crap...Crap! CRAP!" yelled the scout, pushing forward.

He had no time to go around the tunnel. He was not a coward. He was not useless. And he was gonna prove it right now !

He jumped.

He felt like staying for an eternity in mid air, surrounded by shadows and screaming alarm. The tunnel seemed strangely quiet compared to all the rest... No wait. It wasn't quiet. It was full of the screaming from the train's machinery. The boy didn't closed his eyes but he didn't tried to looked at it this time. There was sudden push in his back throwing him right on the other side of the tunnel. He came back to himself only when his feet touched the ground again. He felt his legs giving up under him but a solid grab raised him up and push him even more.

"Keep going !" encouraged a voice at his side.

The boy blinked but didn't add a single look for the engineer who just helped him. His mind was blanked and he didn't really remembered what happened next. He only knew it was pretty quick. He ran passed the rusty wagons, jumped above their own canal, crossed the corridors, climbed the stairs in the intel room then collapsed. He crashed hardly on the ground with a cry. One of his feet abutted against the last step and his tired body didn't had the time to react to avoid the fall. Or even do anything else. The young man just stood there on the ground, his chaotic breathing not allowing his lungs to catch enough air to get up or even to move a single muscle. Fuck...The capture zone was just few centimeters away ! He tried to push on his arms to crawl to it but a new grip lifted him up to make him crossed the remaining space. The administrator's voice echoed, announcing their victory. The boy was still laying on the ground, almost unconscious, still trying to catch his breath. He just barely seen the man squat next to him, his voice sounding so far because of the internal hubbub in the boy's ears.

"Good job mon garçon_._ Now you can be Proud."


	4. Epilogue

The red scout loosed consciousness as soon as the victory belt rang on the battlefield. He was too exhausted with the fear, actions and emotions so his brain just decided to cut every non-vital functions. He awoke what seemed an eternity after, the Medic and Engi at his side. At first, he was scared they were planning some kind of stupid transplant or what not but they just smiled at him. The medic has made a last verification and when the boy jumped on his feet the engineer pressed his shoulder with a i"now that's what I call a good work son !"/i.

The youngest mercenary nodded and exited the room he was in to immediately search for the spy. After all this masked creep helped him a lot for the victory. The boy heard the voice of their soldier from behind the strategy room and passed it as quick and silent as possible. When he jumped out the corridor, he bumped into one of his teammates. The demoman cursed at first but them exploded in laughter and throw his palm on the boy's back, almost strongly enough to make him fall right on the ground. His loud congratulations echoed in the base and the door the scout just dodged open straight.

"Sorry cyclop I really gotta go !" said the scout, passing briefly his arm in his colleague back to push him toward the door. "But I'm so sure soldier would be happy to have a drink or too. Actually, maybe you can try to make him drink enough so he would not even try to get out of the room ?" He add then started to run.

The scout went stretch for the the hatch's corridor and stopped in front of it with a sigh.

"Not bad"said a voice.

The scout jumped, recognizing the spy on the top of the stairs, a cigarette held between too fingers and the other hand in his pocket.

"For once this drunk idiot can really do something !" launched the boy with a shrug.

A husky laugh rolled in the masked man's voice, making the boy both tense and raised an eyebrow.

"Oi, what are ya laughing for ?"

The spy didn't answered. He turned back and walked away, not even looking behind him when the scout called him.

"Hey ! Wait up ! I gotta question for you !"

The spy looked briefly above his shoulder.

" Why ?"

A silent.

"You'll have to be more precise with your question. There is a tons of possibilities." said the spy as put his back on a wall.

"C'mon spook you know what I mean."

The boy noticed a quick light of amusement in the grey eyes. The spy was waiting him to said more. The youngest sighed but crossed his arms, putting his right right back in the metal grey one. The silent lengthen until the noise of demoman being thrown out of the technical room made the boy turned his head by reflex. When he turned back to the spy right in front of him. The boy jumped back with a curse.

"What the heck is wrong with you ?!"

The spy had a little smile on his face, the kind that you can't really know if it's amusement, sadism or something totally different. The masked mercenary reached for something in his inner pocket and handed it toward his teammate. The boy didn't moved at first, ready to run or even jumped in the hatch or throw the spy in at any sign of trick but eventually took the item in spy's hand. The scout observed it for few seconds.

"Why the heck are ya giving me a knife ? " asked the scout, opening it with precautions.

The hilt was black painted with a sort of quite well drawn rose and the blade had four small teeth on a side. Plus the boy could see and follow the roses carefully incised in the metal. A new laugh stopped the boy from his observation. His masked colleague was apparently...happy maybe ?... How could you even tell with a spy...

"I retrieved this on the man you killed today. I thought It could be a nice retribution compared to the work you've made." explain the man.

"...Wait...You went in the canal just to loot a corpse ?" said the boy with a hissed of disgust.

Again, the spy didn't answered his question. He had a long puff of his cigarette then walked by the scout. The young man looked at him and suddenly a sparkle ignited in his mind. The blu scout... His eyes weren't grey the other time. The red boy tried to stop his teammate but the sound of fighting in the corridor stopped him. With a new sighed he put the knife in his pocket and went to see what was going on.

Later that day he noticed something else. The administrator didn't said anything when their intelligence was stolen...


End file.
